Les Bowen

STAFF WRITER

Les Bowen has covered the Eagles since 2002. Before that, he covered the Flyers for 13 years. He came to the Daily News from the Charlotte Observer in May 1983, just as the Sixers were winning the NBA championship. He thought, "Gosh, this sort of thing must happen all the time here."

Devlin, of King of Prussia, said he bought the Kolb jersey during lunch break, from the souvenir stand. He said he'd intended to buy a Kolb jersey at some point, and figured this was as good a time as any.

Devlin seemed taken aback by the media stir he'd caused. He spent much of the afternoon practice talking to Eagles spokesman Derek Boyko and security official Dom DiSandro.

In the morning, Devlin said DiSandro told him coach Andy Reid wanted the jersey removed. Boyko later said Reid in fact had not noticed the jersey, that DiSandro was invoking Reid's general feelings, and not acting on a specific request.

Boyko said the Eagles don't have a hard-and-fast policy on such things, but that credentialied guests, as opposed to people who just come and sit in the stands, are supposed to be screened at their entry onto the field at Lehigh, and that the wearing of other teams' jerseys is discouraged.

Devlin was on the sideline on a guest pass, provided by friend Frank Deutchki, of Schwenksville, who accompanied him. Devlin said he was surprised by the whole scene, but emphasized there were no hard feelngs.

"I wasn't trying to make a statement, I was just trying to get a reaction out of the fans," said Devlin, who said he understood the organization's "business decision" to part with McNabb in April, and likes what he has seen from Kolb.

Devlin, who said he bought the jersey about a month ago, said he wore it to the Phils-Mets game Sunday, drawing scattered notices of disapproval from other fans. He said he wasn't expecting to draw reaction from the Eagles

"If you're (running) training camp, something like that, you're probably focused on other things -- I'd probably be worried about these guys (pointing toward the players) than all of these guys (the fans and media)," he said.

It was Devlin's first visit to training camp. He said if he'd known it would be a problem, he would have bought and worn a Stewart Bradley jersey.

After the forced removal, Deutchki carried the jersey in a plastic bag, with Devlin wearing a red T-shirt.

Fans here and there have worn Eagles McNabb jerseys at this camp without incident.

***

On the field, tight end Brent Celek (illness) did not practice in the morning session, which was not conducted in pads or with hitting. Celek returned for the afternoon. He said he'd eaten cheesecake the night before that had set out too long.

Cornelius Ingram, back at full speed after time off earlier this week, and Clay Harbor took snaps with the first team in Celek's absence.

Running back Mike Bell also took part in the workouts. Defensive tackle Antonio Dixon, who has been out with a concussion, returned for the afternoon practice after missing the morning.

Center Nick Cole and cornerback Macho Harris remain sidelined.

Kicker David Akers returned to the morning practice after missing the last two days.

*Kolb beat an all-out blitz with a flip over the top to an uncovered Shady McCoy.

Todd Herremans declined further comment on Tweetgate. Herremans took down a Tweet and apologized after opining that the third season of True Blood unleashed a "barrage of homosexuality."

Jeremy Maclin, not surprisingly, was displeased by the huge deal some media outlets made of whatever his apparently minor on-field argument with DeSean Jackson was about. Maclin decried the tendency of people to invent a narrative, when, in fact, no one overheard what was said.

"It wasn't a big deal," Maclin said. "It wasn't anything."

Maclin sent this Tweet to Jackson yesterday evening: "Reporters lookin to start somethin ... funny how that works ... riding all day."